For the Everyday Ordinary...

"Normal Day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all in the world, for your return." ~ Mary Jean Iron

Thursday, February 2, 2012

LOAD Day 2 + a mess...

(a peaceful moment in the art room as the sun was going down)

I am on day two of LOAD 2.12. One thing I have noticed is that so far I have not scrapbooked any of the photos I actually set aside to scrapbook for LOAD - instead I find myself digging through other photos in order to follow along with the prompts. I guess that is a good thing. If I should have a day in which the prompt does not inspire me or work for me, I'll grab a few of the other pictures I've set aside.

So far I'm really enjoying my scrapbook time. I don't have a great deal of supplies because I gave so many of them away years ago when I stopped scrapping. I intend to use only what I have and not spend any money on this. I DO have plenty of papers and goodies to put on the pages, but nothing that is part of any of the current trends. I don't care - I'm more interested in getting the memories and stories out of my head and onto a page for my family to enjoy. I'm even thinking I may start throwing some paint on the pages before the photos go on!

Here is today's page. The prompt was Favorite Photo. I have a photo in my art room that I've collaged around and framed of me and my brother, very similar to the photo on the bottom left (us on the beach). It reminds me of so many happy things. At the time I created the collage and framed it, there was no scanning to save photos for future use. Since I could not use that particular photo (because it is collaged with other things), I found a similar photo...and several more! =) I have soooo many stories I could tell about my brother and me. He will get a kick out of this and I'm sure it will spark all kinds of fun reminiscing!

I am also in the process of preparing to teach some upcoming art classes. Beginning next week, I will be teaching various techniques twice a month. I'm excited and nervous about this. I have never seen myself as someone who would teach art of any kind to anyone, but this opportunity sort of fell into my lap and I decided to run with it!

But now my art room is in shambles between LOAD, Project Life, which is all happening at this table, along with learning how to use my camera and setting things up to photograph for fun.

To the left in this photo (but out of the shot) is my computer desk, printer and space where I do alot of writing - it, too, is a disaster!

I'm also gathering supplies and making samples for next week's first art class and other various projects.

Below, next to the chair and behind the giant dictionary and stack of books and papers is another table with a painting that I am working on (and see that dollhouse behind the chair? That is destined to become a Christmas House for a story of Christmas Mice...hopefully I will finish it before next Christmas!!)

The room is in a shambles. Honestly, the pictures do not do justice to what a mess it really is!! My poor mice, Penelope and Prudence (whose house is there on the table below), are often buried behind stacks of notebooks, journals and other artsy things as I fling stuff about the room, creating.

(one of my kitties, Peepers, keeps me company most days...that is "her" chair...)

(now she's watching the girls as they rearrange things in their mouse house...)

I have paused in my various projects to run downstairs to feed the kitties, run back up to work for a bit, then run downstairs to tidy the kitchen, run back up and work in the art room, run back downstairs begin dinner, run back up and work until the timer goes off, run back down to make adjustments to dinner and reset the timer, run back up to work, run down to serve and eat with the guys and run back up to work some more - it is good exercise, right? (They are cleaning the kitchen tonight!!)

Phew!

I think I am looking forward to bedtime and curling up under the covers with a good book. I finished my book club book for February in January - haha! We decided to do a theme for the year - fun, light-hearted mysteries. For February we chose to read The Chocolate Castle Clue. When we meet at the end of February, we will be having chocolate treats! We like to try to tie our food in with the book somehow. Just silly (yummy) fun! Last month we read The Skeleton Letters (it was an ok story - the Chocolate story was much better, but maybe it was because it had to do with chocolate?) The Skeleton Letters was set in New Orleans, but we ended up eating Italian! haha! This month will mark the one year anniversary of our little book club! WooHoo!!

Now I'm reading a book called Lords of Rainbow (I love fantasy). It started off kind of slow, but now the story is really getting good...I could end up staying up way too late to read...I often do that!

I also run my youngest son to college and home again twice a week - so I read or do some writing while I wait the hour and forty-five minutes for him - it flies by!

So that is why I haven't posted much - just been busy. I will be posting photos of my Project Life book to date as part of a blog hop in a few days. I also have another "by the seat of your pants" recipe to share that I served to my book club goddesses!

Wow...I did not mean for this to ramble on so long...

It is funny, but this week I've had no time at all to document my busy life! =) What things have been keeping you busy?

1 comment:

Hello Donna!I am glad to see that your art room is in shambles, it's a good thing! It means there's been a creative flurry inside! And honestly, life's not worth living without creative flurries.

I am IN LOVE with the pirate ship, and doll house. Two of my favourite things. If I could have anything I think I'd get a big light up Victorian doll house. That would be dreamy. I'd also like a pirate ship, but I don't know where to obtain one, any ideas?

Your page looks lovely, I love the idea of using what you have on hand. I tend to forget all of the things I've got on hand, and end up going to the dollar store or Michael's and stocking up. BAD!

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